Abortion

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will establish pilot studies into the home use of misoprostol in early medical abortions.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether under Section 1(3A) of the Abortion Act 1967 they would authorise the carrying out of early medical abortions in women's homes as an approved class of place for carrying out the procedure; and, if so, in what circumstances.

Earl Howe: There are no plans to establish pilot studies into the home use of misoprostol in early medical abortions or to use the provision under Section 1 (3a) of the Abortion Act 1967 for medical abortion to be carried out in women's homes as an approved class of places.

Abortion

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government why general practitioners cannot claim a legal exemption under Section 4 of the Abortion Act 1967 from giving advice or performing the preparatory steps to arrange an abortion; when that decision was made; by whom; who was consulted prior to the decision being made; and whether the debates held on a conscience clause for the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Bill, of session 1966-67, in (a) Standing Committee F and Report stage in the House of Commons, and (b) Second Reading, Committee stage, Report stage, and Third Reading in the House of Lords, were considered prior to the decision.

Earl Howe: Section 4 of the Abortion Act 1967 makes provision for conscientious objection, allowing medical practitioners not to participate in treatment authorised by the Abortion Act.
	The meaning of "participate in any treatment authorised by the Act" in Section 4(1) of the Abortion Act was considered by the House of Lords in the case of Janaway v Salford Area Health Authority known as the Janaway case in 1988. In the Janaway case, the House of Lords held that the word "participate" should be given its ordinary and natural meaning and that to "participate in any treatment authorised by the Act" meant to actually take part in treatment administered for the termination of a pregnancy. The Janaway decision therefore governs the scope of the exemption for conscientious objection in relation to abortion.
	General practitioners who are ethically opposed to abortion should follow relevant professional guidance for those with conscientious objection.

Agriculture: Genetically Modified Crops

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many hectares of land are under genetically modified cultivation in the United Kingdom.

Lord Henley: At present there is no commercial cultivation of GM crops in the United Kingdom. However, two research trials of genetically modified potatoes, by respectively the University of Leeds and the Sainsbury Laboratory, were given consent by Defra in 2010. The Sainsbury consent allows the researchers to plant a trial site of up to 300 square metres each year from 2010-12, and the Leeds consent allows for an area up to 0.1 hectare to be planted each year from 2010 to 2012.

Alveolar Echinococcosis

Lord Boswell of Aynho: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk of importation to the United Kingdom of the disease alveolar echinococcosis for foxes, canines and humans; and what action they are taking to exclude it.

Lord Henley: The risk of introducing the tapeworm echinococcus multilocularis into the UK is considered to be negligible.
	The UK's geographic separation from continental Europe essentially eliminates the risk of the introduction of E. multilocularis through the cross-border movement of wild animals. Ongoing surveillance of wild foxes has demonstrated that the fox population in the UK remains free of E. multilocularis. Similarly, no domestic cases of human infection by the tapeworm E. multilocularis have been found.
	A qualitative assessment of the risk of importing the tapeworm E. multilocularis via the movement of pet animals to the UK has been carried out by the Veterinary Science team in Defra. Exposure of a pet to infection depends on the country visited and whether the pet has ingested any infected rodents. Alveolar echinococcosis is restricted to the northern hemisphere and has become more of a problem in some urban fox populations. The risk is currently mitigated by a requirement to treat all cats and dogs with Praziquantel before entering the UK. This treatment must be certified by a vet in the pet passport or third country official veterinary certificate.
	We recognise that without our current treatment regime there would be an increased risk of disease introduction and the disease could become established in the UK rodent or fox population. We are currently in discussion with the European Commission with regard to the long-term tapeworm treatment requirements for pets entering the UK and certain other member states.

Anglo-Turkish Military Co-operation

Lord Boswell of Aynho: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent developments have taken place in bilateral Anglo-Turkish military co-operation.

Lord Astor of Hever: My right honourable friend the Defence Secretary visited Ankara on 24 January 2011 for bilateral discussions with the Turkish Defence Minister and Chief of the Turkish General Staff. During these discussions it was agreed that the UK and Turkey would aim to sign a defence co-operation framework agreement later in the year to strengthen bilateral defence relations across a broad range of defence activities.

Arms Export

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what military equipment and armaments were sold to Libya by United Kingdom manufacturers in each of the past 10 years; what was the value of those sales; and what considerations were taken into account before sales were permitted.

Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: The Government do not hold details of actual sales. However, the Government do hold details of export licensing decisions. This information is published in the annual and quarterly reports on Strategic Export Controls. These reports contain detailed information on export licences issued, refused or revoked, by destination, including the overall value, type (eg military, other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences. They are available to view on the Strategic Export Controls: Reports and Statistics website at https://www.exportcontroldb.berr. gov.uk/eng/fox. Currently this includes information up to 30 September 2010. Information covering 1 October to 31 December 2010 will be published in April 2011 and information covering 1 January 2011 to 31 March 2011 will be published in July this year.
	All applications, including those for export to Libya, are carefully assessed against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria taking into account the prevailing circumstances at the time of application.

British Citizenship

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many successful applications for British citizenship were made under Section 4C of the British Nationality Act 1981 by country of birth in each year from 2003 to 2010 inclusive.

Baroness Neville-Jones: The available information is given in the attached table.
	This information is taken from local management Information provided by UK Border Agency, North West Region Planning and MI Team. It is not a national statistic and as such it should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change.
	
		
			 4C Cases on a UKM Form Granted by Birth Country Jan 03-31 Dec 2010 
			 Section Form Type Birth Country 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Sum: 
			 4C UKM Australia 300 875 1,030 1,115 705 470 370 400 5,265 
			 4C UKM South Africa 225 715 470 390 340 310 235 810 3,505 
			 4C UKM United States of America 155 495 440 370 330 235 225 295 2,550 
			 4C UKM Canada 75 345 385 470 345 210 165 230 2,225 
			 4C UKM New Zealand 100 230 200 210 170 135 90 150 1,285 
			 4C UKM Zimbabwe 65 170 105 80 90 65 35 195 810 
			 4C UKM Israel 30 110 115 45 45 20 5 30 400 
			 4C UKM Nigeria 10 30 50 60 40 10 20 20 240 
			 4C UKM Germany 10 35 35 30 25 15 15 25 195 
			 4C UKM Zambia 10 40 25 25 20 20 5 30 175 
			 4C UKM Jamaica 5 30 30 30 25 15 10 15 165 
			 4C UKM Kenya 40 45 25 15 10 5 10 10 155 
			 4C UKM Egypt † 5 5 20 10 10 5 85 145 
			 4C UKM France 5 25 15 30 25 5 5 10 125 
			 4C UKM Pakistan 5 35 20 20 10 5 10 20 120 
			 4C UKM Switzerland 10 45 15 15 10 5 5 † 110 
			 4C UKM India 15 20 15 15 15 5 10 10 105 
			 4C UKM Italy 5 20 20 20 15 10 5 15 105 
			 4C UKM Iraq 15 15 15 10 10 10 5 5 80 
			 4C UKM Rhodesia 5 20 10 10 10 5 † 5 70 
			 4C UKM Spain 5 10 10 5 15 5 5 10 65 
			 4C UKM Yemen 5 10 15 15 10 5 5 † 65 
			 4C UKM Trinidad & Tobago † 5 † 15 10 5 5 20 60 
			 4C UKM Malaysia - 10 5 10 10 † 5 5 50 
			 4C UKM Turkey 20 10 5 5 - † † 5 45 
			 4C UKM Netherlands † 5 5 10 5 † 5 5 45 
			 4C UKM Ireland † 5 5 5 5 5 10 5 40 
			 4C UKM Mexico - 15 10 10 5 † † 5 40 
			 4C UKM Venezuela 5 5 5 5 5 † 5 5 40 
			 4C UKM Colombia 5 5 5 † † 5 - 10 40 
			 4C UKM Argentina † 5 10 10 5 5 † † 40 
			 4C UKM Brazil 5 10 5 5 5 † - 5 40 
			 4C UKM Barbados † 10 5 10 5 5 † † 35 
			 4C UKM Saudi Arabia † 5 15 † 5 - 5 † 35 
			 4C UKM Iran (Islamic Republic of) † 10 † 5 5 5 5 † 35 
			 4C UKM Libya (Arab Republic) 10 5 5 † † 5 - † 30 
			 4C UKM Ghana † 5 10 5 5 † † 5 30 
			 4C UKM Mauritius - 10 5 10 5 5 - 5 30 
			 4C UKM Papua New Guinea 5 5 5 5 10 † † † 30 
			 4C UKM Japan 5 5 5 † 5 † 5 5 30 
			 4C UKM  5 10 † 5 † † † † 30 
			 4C UKM Singapore † 5 5 5 5 5 5 † 25 
			 4C UKM Sweden † 5 5 5 † 5 - 5 25 
			 4C UKM Belgium † 5 † 5 5 5 - 5 25 
			 4C UKM Jordan † 5 5 5 5 - † 5 25 
			 4C UKM Kuwait 5 10 5 † † † - † 25 
			 4C UKM Malta - 10 5 5 5 - - - 25 
			 4C UKM Namibia † 5 5 † 5 5 - 5 25 
			 4C UKM Uganda † 5 5 † † 5 † 5 20 
			 4C UKM Guyana - 5 5 5 † † † † 20 
			 4C UKM Libya 5 10 - 5 - † - - 20 
			 4C UKM Greece † - † 5 5 † 5 - 15 
			 4C UKM Malawi - † † 5 † 5 † - 15 
			 4C UKM Lebanon † † † 5 - - - 5 15 
			 4C UKM Peru - † † 5 5 - - 5 15 
			 4C UKM The Syrian Arab Republic - † 5 - - 5 - 5 15 
			 4C UKM Sudan † † 5 5 - - - † 15 
			 4C UKM United Rep of Tanzania † 5 5 † - † † - 15 
			 4C UKM Bahamas † † 5 † - 5 - † 10 
			 4C UKM Philippines † † † † † 5 † - 10 
			 4C UKM Ecuador - 5 † † - † - † 10 
			 4C UKM United Arab Emirates - † † 5 † - - - 10 
			 4C UKM Austria † † - - † † † † 10 
			 4C UKM Poland † † - † 5 - - - 10 
			 4C UKM Bahrain - - 5 † † - † † 10 
			 4C UKM Fiji † † - 5 † † - - 10 
			 4C UKM Panama - - - - - - - 10 10 
			 4C UKM Sri Lanka † † - † - † - † 10 
			 4C UKM Swaziland - † † † - † † † 10 
			 4C UKM Thailand - 5 † - † - - † 10 
			 4C UKM Tunisia † 5 - - † - - † 10 
			 4C UKM Antigua & Barbuda - 5 † - - † † - 5 
			 4C UKM Chile - - † 5 † † - - 5 
			 4C UKM Southern Rhodesia † † † - - - - 5 5 
			 4C UKM Algeria - † - † - † - - 5 
			 4C UKM Botswana - † - 5 - - - † 5 
			 4C UKM Denmark - - † † † - † † 5 
			 4C UKM Grenada - † - - 5 - † † 5 
			 4C UKM Portugal - † † † - † † - 5 
			 4C UKM Dominica - † - 5 - † - - 5 
			 4C UKM Dominican Republic † † - † - - † - 5 
			 4C UKM Hong Kong † - † - - † - - 5 
			 4C UKM Hungary - - - 5 - - - - 5 
			 4C UKM Indonesia - † † † - † † - 5 
			 4C UKM United Kingdom - 5 † - - † - - 5 
			 4C UKM Uruguay - † 5 - - - - - 5 
			 4C UKM Bangladesh † - - † † - - - 5 
			 4C UKM Morocco - † - - - - - 5 5 
			 4C UKM Norway - † - † - † - - 5 
			 4C UKM Sierra Leone † - - - † † - - 5 
			 4C UKM Bolivia - † - - - - - † 5 
			 4C UKM Cameroon † † - - - - - † 5 
			 4C UKM Finland - † - - † - - - 5 
			 4C UKM Nepal - † - † - - - † 5 
			 4C UKM Northern Rhodesia - † - † - - - - 5 
			 4C UKM Puerto Rico † - - - - - - † 5 
			 4C UKM South Korea (Rep of Korea) - - † † - - † - 5 
			 4C UKM St. Lucia - † † - † - - - 5 
			 4C UKM Yugoslavia - - † † - - - - 5 
			 4C UKM Belize - - - † - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Brunei - † - - - † - - † 
			 4C UKM Costa Rica † - - - - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Cyprus - - - † - † - - † 
			 4C UKM Guatemala - - † - † - - - † 
			 4C UKM Honduras - - - - - † † - † 
			 4C UKM Liberia - - - - † - - - † 
			 4C UKM Malaya - - † † - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Oman - - † † - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Paraguay - † - - - † - - † 
			 4C UKM Russian Federation † - - - - - - † † 
			 4C UKM Senegal - - - - - - - † † 
			 4C UKM South West Africa - † - † - - - - † 
			 4C UKM St Vincent & the Grenadines - † - - - - † - † 
			 4C UKM Taiwan (Republic of China) † - † - - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Tonga - - - - † - - - † 
			 4C UKM American Samoa - † - - - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Andorra - - - † - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Angola - - † - - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Bermuda - † - - - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Cambodia (Kampuchea) - - † - - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Ceylon - - † - - - - - † 
			 4C UKM China - † - - - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Congo Democratic Republic - - † - - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Cote D Ivoire (Ivory Coast) † - - - - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Cuba - - - † - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Federal Republic of Yugoslavia - † - - - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Guinea - - - - - - - † † 
			 4C UKM Haiti - - - - - - - † † 
			 4C UKM Iceland - - † - - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Luxembourg - † - - - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Nyasaland - - - - † - - - † 
			 4C UKM Panama Canal Zone - - - - - - - † † 
			 4C UKM Qatar - † - - - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Samoa - - - - - - † - † 
			 4C UKM Seychelles - † - - - - - - † 
			 4C UKM Suriname - - † - - - - - † 
			 4C UKM USSR - † - - - - - - † 
			1,210 3,610 3,255 3,245 2,440 1,700 1,325 2,530 19,315 
		
	
	Source: Local Management Information provided by UK Border Agency, North West Region Planning and MI Team and is not a national statistic. As such it should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change.
	Footnotes
	(1) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5, totals may not sum to their components due to rounding.
	† Negligible ie 2 or less
	2010 figures are now for Q1 to Q4, Q4 has been published.
	07/03/2011 C:\Sirius\App_Ten*\notes603OC8\4C UKM Grants by Birth Country 03_Dec 101.xIs

Climate Change

Lord Stevens of Ludgate: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Marland on 16 February (WA 164-5), why it took over two months to calculate the total cost of sending United Kingdom delegates to the climate change conference in Cancún.

Lord Marland: The Government want to ensure that they publish an accurate final figure for the total cost of sending the UK delegation to the climate change conference in Cancun. This figure will therefore be published once all invoices have been received and processed, and amounts converted into sterling at the correct exchange rate.

Community Innovation Survey

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the Community Innovation Survey, published in 2010.

Baroness Wilcox: The Community Innovation Survey is an EU-wide survey of innovation activity and innovation outputs in firms. It currently covers approximately 100,000 firms in Europe. It is also implemented in a number of other OECD countries, as well as in China, South Africa and Brazil. The UK Innovation Survey is the UK component of this. It is managed and led by the Science and Innovation Analysis Unit in BIS, and implemented by ONS.
	BIS produces two reports on the results of the survey, and these are used in departmental performance indicators, in the Annual Innovation Review, in the development of the current growth reviews and the department's forthcoming Innovation Strategy. The data are made available (subject to strict confidentiality controls) to academic researchers and is used in a wide variety for research projects. The department regards the Community Innovation Survey as a major resource for our understanding of patterns of innovation in the UK and elsewhere.

Deaf People

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what meetings they have held with representatives from the deaf community since May 2010.

Earl Howe: No ministerial meetings have taken place with representatives from the deaf community since May 2010, although a number of meetings and communications have been undertaken with departmental officials.

Education: Overseas Students

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the estimated net annual earnings and benefits for the United Kingdom from overseas students attending publicly and privately funded education institutions; and how many units of accommodation exist for such students in the United Kingdom.

Lord Henley: The Government welcome genuine students from other countries to study at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom. They contribute to the diversity of our campuses, support our research capacity as well as providing a valuable source of income. In higher education alone, students from outside the European Union contributed almost £2.2 billion in tuition fees in 2008-09, the latest year for which figures are available. A report by Universities UK entitled The impact of universities on the UK economy, published in November 2009, estimated that the off campus expenditure of international students amounted to £2.3 billion in 2007-08. Equivalent data are not published for further education and privately funded institutions.
	Universities and other educational institutions can and do provide accommodation for students including those who come from outside the UK. However, the department does not hold information on the amount of student accommodation which exists and whether it is allocated to international students.

Embryology

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of NHS doctors and facilities being used for the referral of women for fertility treatments overseas with the intention of removing human embryos on the ground of their gender.

Earl Howe: Healthcare professionals that provide fertility treatment and services that are subject to the provisions of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, as amended, are not prohibited from assisting patients in seeking fertility treatments abroad.
	National Health Service facilities, staff and services should only be used for private practice with the agreement of the NHS trust at which the proposed activities will take place.

Embryology

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Thornton on 6 April 2010 (WA 393), whether the activities authorised by Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority research licence R0152 still include the derivation of stem cell lines from embryos created by cell nuclear replacement using nuclei taken from a patient with type 1 diabetes; and, if not, when it ceased to be an activity covered by the licence.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 24 January (WA 96-7) and 7 February (WA 13-14), whether information was communicated to Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority members between 16 June 2004 and 16 March 2005 in which the autoimmune nature of type 1 diabetes was highlighted or queried in relation to licensing the use of cells from diabetics for human embryo cloning.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 1 April 2009 (WA 235), whether information was communicated to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) between 16 June 2004 and 16 March 2005 in which the potential for transgressing the 14-day limit was raised in relation to activities to be covered by HFEA research licence R0152; and what consideration was given by the HFEA to a submission by the nominal licensee for that research licence to the Department of Health in 2005 recommending "that the period for which an embryo can be maintained in culture should not be stipulated in law, or should, at the very least should be extended to 20 days".

Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that research licence R0152, issued by the authority, currently permits the derivation of stem cell lines from embryos created by cell nuclear replacement using nuclei taken from sources that may include a patient with type 1 diabetes. The current licence period expires on 31 July 2011.
	With regard to information communicated to the HFEA, relevant to the licensing of research, the authority has advised that it has nothing to add to the information given to the noble Lord in my Written Answer of 28 February 2011 (Official Report, cols. WA 218-19).

Energy: Generation Capacity

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average percentage capacity for energy generation from (a) nuclear power, (b) fossil fuels, and (c) wind power.

Lord Marland: The capacity for electricity generation as at the end of 2009 from nuclear power, fossil fuels and wind power, as a percentage of total capacity, is given in the table below:
	
		
			  Transmission Entry Capacity (MW) Percentage of total 
			 Nuclear 10,858 12.7% 
			 Fossil Fuels 66,589 78.0% 
			 Wind 1,860 2.2% 
			 Other 6,030 7.1% 
			 Total 85,337 100% 
		
	
	Source: Table 5.7, Digest of UK Energy Statistics, 2010, available at: http://decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/source/electricity/electricity.aspx.

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Higher Education Statistics Agency will be brought within the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Lord McNally: There are currently no plans to make the Higher Education Statistics Authority subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). However, the Government will keep the scope of the FOIA under review and may consider its extension to additional bodies in the future.

Government Departments: Energy Certificates

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government what level of display energy certificate was awarded to the Department of Energy and Climate Change office at 3 Whitehall Place in each of the past three years.

Lord Marland: On 1 October 2008 when DECC first began moving into 3 Whitehall Place the building received a display energy certificate (DEC) rating of G (165). The DEC ratings and associated scores for the past three years are as follows:
	
		
			 Date DEC Rating Score 
			 October 2008 G 165 
			 November 2009 F 150 
			 May 2010 E 121 
			 November 2010 E 114

Gypsies and Travellers

Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will consult Gypsies, Roma and Travellers over the allocation systems for the new homes bonus.

Baroness Hanham: The Government carried out a public consultation on the new homes bonus that ran from 12 November to 24 December 2010. Almost 500 responses were received, including from a number of organisations representing travellers. Ensuring pitches on traveller sites receive equal treatment as other homes was a key principle of the final scheme design. Additional pitches will therefore be eligible for the bonus and pitches available at sub-market rates will be eligible for the affordable homes enhancement. A summary of the responses to consultation and the final scheme design can be viewed at http://www.communities.gov.juk/housing/housingsupply/newhomesbonus/.

Health: Contaminated Blood Products

Lord Morris of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations the Prime Minister has had from Mrs Sue Threakall, the widow of a haemophilia patient infected by contaminated NHS blood products; what reply he is sending; and whether there is any action they will be taking.

Earl Howe: Correspondence between Ministers and members of the public is confidential, although members of the public may choose to share ministerial correspondence that they receive more widely if they so choose.

Health: Diabetic Retinopathy

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 28 February (WA 244-5), whether they plan to increase the level of provision of the retinopathy screening service for people with diabetes.

Earl Howe: There are no plans to increase the level of provision of the retinopathy screening service for people with diabetes. England, alongside other United Kingdom countries leads the world in diabetic retinopathy screening. The Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2011-12 confirms an existing commitment that "all people with diabetes should be offered screening for early detection and, if needed, treatment of retinopathy". The department collects information from all primary care trusts (PCTs) each quarter on the number of people with diabetes who have been offered screening for diabetic retinopathy. Latest figures for December 2010 show that 98.1 per cent of people with diabetes were offered screening for diabetic retinopathy during the previous 12 months.
	Latest figures show that a small minority of PCTs do not currently offer screening to all people with diabetes. The department provides funding for a UK National Screening Committee national screening team which is providing support to these PCTs to ensure that screening is offered to all people with diabetes.

Health: Research

Baroness Cumberlege: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report A new pathway for the regulation and governance of health research,recently published by the Academy of Medical Sciences.

Earl Howe: National regulation and local governance of health research are too complex and scattered across too many different bodies.
	The academy's report makes the case for simplification under a health research agency that will streamline and co-ordinate regulatory and governance processes.
	The Government welcome the report and are carefully considering how to implement their recommendations.

House of Lords: Official Report

Lord Corbett of Castle Vale: To ask the Chairman of Committees at what time on each of the past 30 days on which it was published the Official Report was posted on the Parliamentary website.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: The Stationery Office (TSO) is contracted by the House to print and publish the Official Report and, as part of this contract, TSO is obliged to post the electronic version of the Official Report on the parliamentary website by 6 am on the day following proceedings. The times at which the Official Report was posted online for each of the past 30 days on which it was published are below. The date in the left hand column is the date on which the Official Report was published (ie the day after proceedings took place).
	
		
			 Date of publication Time uploaded 
			 15 December 2010 05:47 
			 16 December 2010 05:49 
			 17 December 2010 06:00 
			 21 December 2010 05:55 
			 22 December 2010 05:50 
			 23 December 2010 05:43 
			 11 January 2011 05:35 
			 12 January 2011 05:35 
			 13 January 2011 05:30 
			 14 January 2011 05:28 
			 19 January 2011 05:59 
			 20 January 2011 05:34 
			 21 January 2011 05:34 
			 22 January 2011 05:44 
			 25 January 2011 05:39 
			 27 January 2011 05:47 
			 28 January 2011 05:41 
			 1 February 2011 05:51 
			 2 February 2011 05:32 
			 3 February 2011 06:02 
			 4 February 2011 05:59 
			 8 February 2011 05:45 
			 9 February 2011 05:48 
			 10 February 2011 05:57 
			 11 February 2011 05:35 
			 12 February 2011 06:08 
			 15 February 2011 05:42 
			 16 February 2011 05:56 
			 17 February 2011 06:04 
			 1 March 2011 06:06

Individual Savings Accounts

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to announce details of the proposed green ISAs.

Lord Sassoon: The Government are undertaking analysis into how investment in green industries can be increased. The individual savings accounts (ISA) market is competitive and a number of providers have chosen to offer green, environmental or ethical ISAs.
	The Government are currently considering how best to encourage additional investment in green infrastructure through the Green Investment Bank, and are aiming to announce their detailed proposals in May.

Life Expectancy

Lord Smith of Leigh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what factors cause the differences in life expectancy in different parts of the country; and what proposals they have to reduce those differences.

Earl Howe: The reasons for geographical variations in life expectancy are complex and not fully understood. Sir Michael Marmot's government-commissioned review, Fair Society, Healthy Lives(2010, is the latest assessment of the impact of wider social determinants on health-that is, the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age, and the way they impact on health inequalities, including differences in life expectancy. We know that the drivers of life expectancy vary at local level and the department has provided a range of tools to help local National Health Service organisations and local authorities to identify the issues affecting local life expectancy and to promote effective action to increase it.
	The public health White Paper, Healthy Lives, Healthy People (2010), responds to Fair Society, Healthy Lives. The White Paper sets out that Public Health England (the proposed new public health service) would have a key role in tackling inequalities. The public health budget will be ring-fenced, weighted towards the most deprived areas, to ensure resources are spent on preventative work, such as reducing smoking and harm from alcohol consumption, with incentives to improve the health of the poorest, the fastest.
	Following the White Paper, Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS, the Health and Social Care Bill 2011 seeks to introduce new legal duties for the Secretary of State, the NHS Commissioning Board and General Practice Commissioning Consortia to have regard to addressing health inequalities.

Republic of Ireland: Financial Support

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any discussions have taken place with members of the European Union in anticipation of any request from the incoming Government of the Republic of Ireland to alter the terms of the loan to Ireland negotiated last year.

Lord Sassoon: Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
	As was the case under previous Administrations, the Government do not comment on the detail of all such discussions.

Roads: Speed Limits

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review the speed limit on United Kingdom roads.

Earl Attlee: The Government are preparing a strategic road safety framework and will set out their approach in relation to the setting of speed limits in that document.

Science and Innovation Analysis Unit

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to review the Science and Innovation Analysis Unit.

Baroness Wilcox: The Science and Innovation Analysis Unit is part of the Knowledge and Innovation Area in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). It is responsible for evidence analysis across science, innovation and economic growth. It manages and reports from the UK Innovation Survey (implemented by the Office for National Statistics), and monitors UK Science performance through analysis of the structure, composition and impacts of UK scientific publication. The team carries out research and analysis projects in support of senior officials in their work on the level, composition and management of the UK Science Budget. It supports Innovation Policy officials with statistics-based analyses of patterns of innovation in the UK, and case-studies of specific innovation-related issues (such as the impacts of publicly-supported innovation infrastructures or the economics of innovation in the space economy). It plays an active role in evaluation of policy impacts. The team also sets up and manages external research projects on topics related to scientific and innovation activity in the UK. There are currently no plans to review the operations of the Science and Innovation Analysis Unit, other than through the usual process of regular quarterly performance reporting and the current change and reorganisation process that is underway in BIS.

South Wales Police

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they or HM Inspectorate of Constabulary will investigate the actions of the chief constable Peter Vaughan and deputy chief constable Colette Paul of the South Wales Police in allowing the entry to domestic properties by police community support officers without the prior knowledge or consent of the owner or occupier or an appropriate warrant being issued for such access in east Cardiff.

Baroness Neville-Jones: The Government have no role in investigating complaints against individual police officers. Anyone wishing to complain about the actions of police personnel may do so either directly to the force in question, or to the relevant police authority, or to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Taxation: Married Couples

Baroness Hollins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are available in the tax system to support married couples.

Lord Sassoon: Married people and people in civil partnerships born before 6 April 1935 can claim married couple's allowance to reduce their income tax liability. Further details can be found at the following links: http://www. hmrc.gov.uk/incometax/married-aIlow.htm http://www. hmrc.gov.uk/rates/it.htm
	For capital gains tax a spouse or civil partner can transfer an asset to their other spouse or partner without it giving rise to a capital gain or loss. Further details can be found at the following link: http://www. hmrc.gov.uk/cgt/.
	Blind person's allowance also provides favourable tax treatment to married couples or civil partners, if one of the couple is registered as blind. Any unused amount of the allowance (up to 100 per cent) can be transferred to the other partner where the couple lived together for at least part of the tax year. Further details can be found at the following link: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/incometax/blind-person-allow.htm.
	The inheritance tax (IHT) system recognises marriage and civil partnerships. First, no IHT is usually due on assets transferred to a spouse or civil partner. Secondly, following the death of a spouse or civil partner the proportion of their unused IHT nil rate band allowance can be transferred to their widow or widower, or civil partner. In many cases, this means that the IHT allowance is effectively doubled for the survivor to £650,000. Thirdly, gifts to someone getting married or registering a civil partnership are exempt from IHT, subject to certain limits. Further details can be found at the following link: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/inheritancetax.

Vehicles: Lorries

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Attlee on 1 March (WA 299), what are the new measures on lorry mirrors to improve the visibility of cyclists and pedestrians; to what category of lorries those new measures will apply; whether those new measures will apply to both United Kingdom and foreign registered lorries; whether those new measures will apply to existing lorries or only new lorries; and whether those new measures will be legally enforceable.

Earl Attlee: European legislation came into effect in January 2007 that applies to all new goods vehicles above 3.5 tonnes gross mass that are registered for the first time in the European Union. The vehicles are required to have an enhanced wide-angle mirror on both sides and an enhanced close proximity mirror on the passenger side of the cab. For vehicles over 7.5 tonnes gross mass a front mirror above the windscreen is required. Vehicles where the close proximity and front mirrors cannot be fitted over 2m from the ground are exempt.
	Further European legislation came into effect in March 2009 that requires existing, goods vehicles above 3.5 tonnes gross mass first registered from January 2000, to be retro-fitted with mirrors, on the passenger side, that provide a similar field of view to that required for new vehicles. This measure applies to all member states of the EU.
	These provisions are enforced by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency through the annual vehicle test and targeted roadside checks carried out in conjunction with the police.

Video Games

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that there is no disruption to the present mechanisms for law enforcement once the new statutory regime for video games enters into force.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to amend labelling regulations in preparation for the new statutory regime for video games.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have consulted local government on the impact of the new statutory regime for video games on enforcement by trading standards officers; and who else has been consulted on the issue.

Baroness Garden of Frognal: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has been working with officials at local government regulation, in consultation with the games industry and retailers, to ensure a smooth transition to the new statutory regime.
	As part of this transition, new labelling regulations, which will be fit for purpose now and in the future, are being prepared with the assistance of regulators, industry and enforcement agencies.